


Persistence

by TerokNor



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-11-04 19:50:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17904515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerokNor/pseuds/TerokNor
Summary: Mirage hits on Bloodhound.That's it.





	Persistence

"Haven't I seen you here before?"

Bloodhound lets out a sigh, voice modified amplifying the small sound. Mirage grins at them from across the bar. 

After another long, hot day in the ring, Bloodhound wants nothing more than to cool down at the bar, watch the other patrons, maybe just listen to the music playing. 

"I know you've seen me around before." He reaches out with his hand and fist bumps...himself, or at least, a clone of himself.

That Mirage vanishes. Leaving the annoying real one beaming at Bloodhound like the cat that killed the canary.

"Leave me alone," Bloodhound says glumly. "I don't want to see you around here."

"You're not still mad at me about earlier, are you?" Mirage pouts. "Just doing my job. It was your fault for being cocky."

"I was not cocky, I am never cocky," Bloodhound retorts. "I was trying to compensate for the mistakes of my team mates!"

"By making one yourself?"

"You had a Kraber."

"So?"

"So your aim is adequate, and it's one of the most powerful weapons in the Apex Games, you know very well that if we had the same weapon and had been on equal ground-"

"But we weren't, and that's the fun of it," Mirage says, gesturing enthusiastically with his fists. "You've straight up decapitated me while I had nothing but a P2020 and a Wingman, but I didn't hold it against you. Half of the fun of playing the game is dying and getting to try again."

"You have a very strange definition of fun," Bloodhound grumbles. Mirage takes the seat next to them. He thumps them heartily on the back. "Listen, I'll make it up to you now. I'll buy you a drink."

"I don't drink in public. And you know why. Nice try."

Mirage groans. "Oh, one of these days you're gonna slip up. You're gonna slip up around me and show me your secret hidden wild side."

Bloodhound huffs dismissively, pushing Mirage's arm lightly away from them. "Trust me. You don't want to see my secret hidden 'wild' side."

Mirage bats his eyelashes at them, only half joking. "Don't I?"

Bloodhound shakes their head, but Mirage imagines they're amused under that hunting mask.

"Someone has to know what you look like under there."

"My mother."

"Very funny."

"I thought so."

Mirage claps, wide grin on his face. "How about, next time we get in the ring together, you and I grab Mozambiques, meet at the pit, 1v1, no squad interference? No med kits, no syringes, no shields, nothing but the mozams? Would you like that?"

"I'd beat you to death with my bare fists before I duel you with a Mozambique," Bloodhound says, their voice grudgingly amused.

"I'm fine with that. A little mano-a-mano. And no squads, so it'll just be me and you, rolling around in the dirt, grasping at whatever skin we can reach. Oof, is it getting hot in here or is that just me?" He whistles. "Is your mask steaming up?"

Bloodhound shakes their head.

Mirage brushes his hair back out of habit, giving Bloodhound the Look.

"You wouldn't be able to handle me alone," Bloodhound says quietly, hoarsely.

Mirage's eyes widen. "That's a challenge. Elliott Witt doesn't walk away from a challenge, you know."

"Elliott Witt is a fool and a cheater who refers to himself in the third person," Bloodhound says airily, voice no longer deep, secretive, and sexy, but high and casual once more.

"I am no cheater."

"You are."

The two pause, Mirage taking a breath and thinking about what he wants to say next, Bloodhound amused and enjoying his company, despite being rather annoyed with his presence initially.

"I also had Legendary armor," Mirage admits after a few seconds. Bloodhound turns on him so quickly, he almost jumps out of his chair in shock.

"I knew it!"

"I'm sorry! Your RNG was just shit today. It's nothing personal! You just got unlucky!"

Bloodhound puts their head in their hands, shaking it back and forth in exasperation. "The Allfather must be very displeased with me."

"He's tough, RNG is tougher," Mirage says, clucking sympathetically. "Say, why don't we blow this gig and do a little trial run?"

"Of what?" Bloodhound asks dryly.

"...Rolling around on the ground? Handling one another alone?" 

Bloodhound stands up. "Goodnight, Elliott."

"No, wait, are you leaving?"

"You're not as charming as you think," the masked hunter says, walking out the door. 

Mirage follows them closely behind, his stride long enough to easily keep up. 

"Maybe not, but I'm at least more persistent. You never wanna have a drink with me, even when we're on the same team and you just revived me. Haven't you ever heard of trauma bonding?"

"That does not mean what you think it means."

"Well, I never claimed I was an expert. That's why I try to make friends with everyone, so I can learn more, get to know more stuff." 

Mirage crosses in front of Bloodhound now, zoning across the pavement like an overexcited child. 

"How do you have this much energy after a full day of running across the island?" Bloodhound asks, rolling their eyes behind the mask (where Elliott can't see it, but can probably guess). 

"I can go all day and night."

"Disgusting." 

But the word is said with a light upwards inflection that Mirage, ever-hopeful, picks up on. 

"You know, you were pretty amazing last week. Remember, we were on a team together? I got downed almost immediately, you took out a whole squad by yourself? Pretty sexy. And the day after that, I paid back the favor, saved you from Bangalore just before she Peacekeepered you in the face."

"If I recall that game correctly, you engaged an enemy squad, then turned tail and ran when I came to back you up. I downed and killed two people, and only got knocked down myself by the third, and that's when you decided to come in and save the day," Bloodhound says flatly.

"Is that how it was?" Mirage asks. "Huh. Your memory is much better than mine. Why don't you tell me more about all those intimate moments we shared out in the ring over dinner?"

"You think I'm going to show you what's under this mask on the first date? You think I'm that kind of person?" 

Mirage groans.

"Damn, you caught me again! Caught me out like you always do at Skull Town! Never an advantageous match up against you. That's why we need to spend more time together. So we can share some tips, some strats, maybe even some tech?"

"So you can beat me more easily? Never," Bloodhound rumbles.

Mirage laughs, daring to put his hand around their shoulder, but only for a brief moment, as though to test his luck. 

"Can't blame a man for trying. How can I resist someone I saw mow down five people in a row before most people even had a weapon? I've got a fire burning for kill leaders. Tell me you don't get a rush from seeing a squad mate clutch a 1v3? There's no one I'd rather have reviving me at the end of a bloodbath." 

He's crude, but effective. 

There is something charming about his brash impulsiveness, both on and outside the battle field. 

"Give me a shot or tell me to fuck off right now. I'll respect that. I will, I promise. I just think you...are an excellent squad mate. A real champion of men, women, nonbinary folks, everyone. Put me and you together, you've got a real formula for victory. Whatdya say?"

Mirage stops circling, standing still in front of them now, smiling earnestly at them, eyes bright and focused. 

Bloodhound doesn't even hesitate. 

"You get one shot," they say. "One shot, and not a single miss." 

"Well you saw what I did with that Kraber," Mirage says with a cheeky grin. "I'm a hell of a marksman." 

He starts to walk again, but Bloodhound reaches out, catching him by the shoulder.

They spin him around, pushing him up lightly, but firmly against the nearest wall. Mirage gulps, a nervous, or perhaps excited, grin on his mouth as the masked hunter leans in close, close enough for him to almost see those mysterious, hidden eyes. 

"And another thing," they say quietly, voice hoarse and slow, rasping at Mirage's ears like a filthy secret. "I value my personal space. So take it slow." 

The trickster shivers, half fearful, half aroused by their proximity, their gloved fingers stroking at his neck ever so slightly, their thumb resting on his collarbone, rubbing it ever so slightly. 

"Boundaries. Got it." 

They let him go. 

"So...tomorrow, after the game, shooting range?" Mirage asks.  "Neither of us need the practice, but it might be fun to assert our dominance over all of the wannabes there?" 

"Very well." 

They turn away from him, disappearing into the shadows, leaving him under a street light, watching their back fade from view. 

"There's something so sexy about people who can kick my ass," the trickster says, biting his lower lip. "So sexy!" 


End file.
